In Kasai, Oriental Province, women led a civic and voter education session with USAID support in preparation for historic national elections.

USAID/A. Luyoyo

Increased transparency and accountability of government in the DRC are a priority for USAID’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy. All USAID sector activities promote participation, inclusion, transparency, and accountability in national and local institutions to support the long-term transition in the DRC to more effective and empowering development. Results achieved through USAID will not be sustainable unless Congolese actors, both within and outside the government, take ownership of reform processes and govern better.

Current Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance assistance helps ensure that elections are free, fair, and credible, and that citizens have improved access to information so that they may participate fully in the democratic process and make more informed decisions. We provide technical assistance and training to political parties so that they are able to better represent and respond to citizens’ concerns, improve internal and campaign management, and include women and youth in decision-making. This enables these Congolese civic groups to educate citizens about the rights and roles of voters in a peaceful and inclusive electoral process in order to increase citizen participation in advocacy and politics. USAID strengthens the capacity of national-level justice actors, the courts, and civil society organizations to conduct legal education, provide legal services, and monitor and respond to human rights violations, including electoral disputes. Our activities also increase Congolese citizens’ access to information by improving the quality and management of media through training media professionals, assisting media outlets, and strengthening legal protections for journalists.